Dengue Fever and Chikungunya can be more prolific in urban areas and care should be taken to avoid day time mosquito bites. Long trousers and insect repellents help.

Dengue is rampant at the end of the rainy season in urban areas. Take care to cover up, avoid shorts, wear repellent on ankles, feet, arms and hands and face at dusk and dawn and when sleeping. These tiny striped-legged mosquitos bite quickly and are unheard.

It is a short and sharp flu-like virus that can deal a subsequent blow to the immune system. The headache is unbearable at first, and you don’t always get the other symptoms of rash, vomiting or diarrhea, so be warned. Just take aceteminofen, as per recommended dosage, and fluids.

Chickungunya is a very similar virus, spread by the same mosquito and more endemic this last year, 2015/6. Fever is pronounced at the start, a rash across the arms and body, and more severe aching joint pains, that can linger for a longer time than the fever. There is no cure, but it is recommended to take, freshly squeezed lemons in a glass with fresh honey and bicarbonate of soda, 3 times a day. Plus oral rehydration therapy (suero oral), paracetomal (aceteminofen) according to dose, and rest. Cover yourself with mosquito net to avoid spreading the infection to others close-by.

Do not take antibiotics. Local tests can confirm the viral infection.

Longer term accommodation in Esteli

There are many places to rent in town, including private rooms within family homes, unfurnished apartments or houses and several new fully furnished apartments on Parque Central.

It’s recommended to come and stay for a week, and by walking the town and asking an ideal solution is usually found. Rents vary from $60/100 pcm for a room to about $300-500 for a house to share for 3-4 people. Food is relatively expensive to buy here, plus gas and cookers on top but eating out can be cheap.

Luggage storage
Cafe Luz can provide you with luggage storage. For our guests, it is a free service and there’ll be very small charge for other guests in town, but we will gladly look after your backpacks while travelling to Miraflor or Somoto.

Spanish schools
There are several small schools set up in town. The climate is ideal, there are less English speakers than most Spanish school venue cities and there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer or chat to the locals in Nicaragua that you’d really never find anywhere else.

Climate
Climate change is very obvious in the tropical and developing countries. The rains are becoming more intense in hurricane season. The weather is becoming inconsistent and drought is becoming more frequent.

The rainy season runs from May until Dec/Jan. Heaviest rainfall is in October, sometimes September, with coastal tropical storms bringing heavy rains that last for a few days. Otherwise rain is generally short-lasting, and shelter can be found. The rest of the day stays warm and a little humid.

In July to August there is usually a “veranillo/canicula”, a break in the rains.

Esteli provides much relief from the intense humidity of the coast. The rains provide lush greenery, a cooler climate and precipitation is sporadic not persistent.

The dry season is the verano (summer) runs from Feb to April. The heat peaks around Easter time. It can be breezy and the nights are cool.

Clothing
Locals usually use umbrella. Mud is a given fact, so bring good walking sandals or boots.

In Miraflor and Tisey Nature Reserves, fleeces or sweaters are essential for the evenings and early mornings. It can be exposed, very cold and windy, so be prepared.

Boots and flip flops can all be bought economically in Esteli.

Healthcare in Esteli
There are health centres and the city hospital all providing FREE health care. Private options are available at low cost. Natural medicine is widely available and Esteli is famous for it. Acupuncture, massage etc is well provided and recommended.

Many homestays in Miraflor have expert knowledge in natural medicine and provide remedies.

Travel risks in Managua

Please note that there have less reports in the last year, and we believe that the situation has been controlled.

This is recent and desperately unfortunate reality now occurring in two known areas of Managua with dodgy taxis. At the Roberto Huembes bus terminal and the UCA Managua (the university microbus stop).(Very few) tourists have been taken hostage and forced to submit cash from the ATM’s, by force, when thinking they were boarding a taxi with local women and other national travellers. No one has come to real harm, and it’s very hard to deal with. Try to get off your buses before arriving in Managua, prior to these terminals.

We use the MOVISTAR (Cel phone head offices) bus stop, on the highway as you come down to Managua. It’s small and open, on the highway and from there you can get any passing taxi, who Are unlikely to be part of a scam.

In case of any incident, you should try to contact any Managua police, it cannot be reported out of the city itself. Also please report any incident to INTUR, the tourism offices. If you are targeted it is important not to resist.

Malaria is hardly ever found in Estelí and certainly not in the mountain regions. Precautions may be taken for travelling in other low-lying areas, ask your local clinic.

Leptiospirosis is present and most likely transmitted in areas of poorer living conditions. It can develop after bathing or wetting feet or open wounds in water infected by rodent faeces. Simple antibiotics can be taken if exposed but are not so effective in later stages.

Parasites and diarrhea are common in tropical countries. Oral Rehydration Therapy (“Suero”) must be taken when fluids are lost at any level. Easily bought at local pharmacies, it is always good to have some on hand. Local laboratories quickly process samples for results between bacterial and parasitical infections and pharmacists or local doctors can quickly prescribe the remedial drug. Gatorade also helps. Consider where you eat but drinking water in the cities is good around Nicaragua.

We recommend a local cure known as ‘Jarabe de Guayaba’ which is made from guava leaves and is a very effective cure for diarrhea and bad stomachs in general. Ajo (garlic) remedies for parasites are also very effective.

Rabies is rare. Dogs are vaccinated annually throughout Nicaragua, even the wandering street dogs. If working with bats precautions must be taken in advance.

Bites: Care should be taken and people allergic to mosquitos and scorpions should take advance precautions. Incidents are rare, but scorpions and snakes do live in tropical countries. Local knowledge is the best remedy.

H1N1 Flu Virus, otherwise known as Swine Flu, has been present in Nicaragua and has stabilised. It has taken hold slowly and is known locally as “Gripe A”. there is vaccine and care is taken for those who live with families and children and pregnant mothers.

Symptoms include chest infections and bad headaches. Take a blood test at a laboratory or private clinic and don’t rush to the public hospitals. Symptoms can overlap with common travelling symptoms in a tropical country – temperature, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. But the flu hits the respiratory system

Bring anti-bacterial gel, use it! Don’t be alarmist. Take “Suero”/oral rehydration therapy sachets/liquids and REST! Don’t rush to the hospital but be careful.